US3665468A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Radio communication system
Assignee: Air Land Systems Co
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Filing: 1970-02-25
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Granted: 1972-05-23
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Expires: 1990-02-25
Abstract
Abstract A novel radio communication system is disclosed, the system having particular applicability and utility as a radio navigation aid. A transmitting means is utilized which, in the preferred inventive embodiment, comprises a plurality or array of antennas disposed in fixed spaced-apart relationship with one another at a known location. One of the transmitting antennas transmits a reference signal, preferably a carrier wave, modulated by a first frequency. The remaining transmitting antennas each transmits a single or double sideband suppressed carrier signal produced by respectively different modulating frequencies for each signal. These different modulating frequencies bear a harmonic or multiple relationship with the first modulating frequency. In the preferred inventive embodiment, each of the remaining transmitting antennas are disposed at different distances from the first or reference transmitting antenna. The novel system further includes receiver and signal processing means disposed at a location remote from the location of the transmitting means. The receiver means generates from the received reference signal a signal having the frequency and phase of the first modulating signal at the transmitter. From this signal, the other modulating signals coherent with the first signal are derived. The receiver/signal processing means derives from the other received signals the second, third, and fourth modulating signals, and compares the phases of the signals of like frequency. The detected phase differences are indicative of the relative angular direction of the receiver from the transmitting array. In the preferred embodiment, the antennas of the transmitting array are disposed on a line and the phase difference detected in the receiver represents the angular deviation of the receiver from a plane bisecting and perpendicular to the line of transmitting antennas. The accuracy of the system is determined by the maximum spacing between a pair of antennas in the array. The other antennas are used only for resolving ambiguities.
Inventors
- 👤 James Evans Fleming
- 👤 Clarence A Lovell
- 👤 James M Bandle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 08:36
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S1/00; G01S1/02; G01S1/08; G01S1/20; G01S1/30; G01S1/302; G01S5/00; G01S5/0009
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A radio communication system comprising a transmitting antenna array defining at least first and second spaced-apart antennas, transmission means coupled to said antenna array such that said first antenna transmits a reference wave comprising a carrier modulated by a first modulating signal, and such that said second antenna transmits a wave comprising a carrier modulated by a second modulating signal having a frequency that is a given multiple of the frequency of said first modulating signal; remote receiver means for receiving the composite transmitted signal, said receiver means including comparator means which multiplies said first signal by said-given multiple to produce a third signal having the same frequency as the frequency of said second signal, and which compares the phase of said third signal with the phase of said second signal to generate an output indicative of the locus of receiver positions with respect to the location of the transmitting antenna array.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
152 words
A radio communication system comprising a transmitting antenna array defining at least first and second spaced-apart antennas, transmission means coupled to said antenna array such that said first antenna transmits a reference wave comprising a carrier modulated by a first modulating signal, and such that said second antenna transmits a wave comprising a carrier modulated by a second modulating signal having a frequency that is a given multiple of the frequency of said first modulating signal; remote receiver means for receiving the composite transmitted signal, said receiver means including comparator means which multiplies said first signal by said-given multiple to produce a third signal having the same frequency as the frequency of said second signal, and which compares the phase of said third signal with the phase of said second signal to generate an output indicative of the locus of receiver positions with respect to the location of the transmitting antenna array.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
95 words
A system as defined in claim 1, including additional spaced-apart transmitting antennas, each transmitting a wave comprising respectively different modulating signals, each said different modulating signal comprising a frequency having a different multiple of said first modulating frequency, said comparator means of said receiver selectively multiplying said first signal by each said different multiple to respectively produce a plurality of third signals each having the same frequency as the frequency of a respective different modulating signal, each said third signal being phase-compared with the phase of said respective different modulating signal to generate said output.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as defined in claim 2, wherein said reference wave comprises an amplitude modulated carrier and wherein said other transmitted waves comprise suppressed carrier single side-band amplitude modulated signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A system as defined in claim 2, wherein said second and each said additional transmitting antenna is disposed at different distances from said first transmitting antenna, said distances bearing the same respective relationship with one another as the relationship between the different multiples of the transmitted modulating frequencies.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A radio communication system as defined in claim 2, wherein the output of said receiver means approximates the angular deviation of the location of said receiver means from a plane bisecting and perpendicular to a line between two of said transmitting antennas.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A radio communication system as defined in claim 2, further including calibration means associated with said transmission means, such that said first transmitting antenna selectively and simultaneously transmits all of said signals, the other transmitting antenNas being disabled.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
122 words
A radio communication system comprising a plurality of antenna means, one of said antenna means transmitting a reference signal comprising a modulated carrier, each of the other antenna means transmitting a signal having respectively different modulation frequency components, a receiver means for said transmitted signals disposed at a remote location, said receiver means including means for detecting said reference signal and for synthesizing each of said respectively different modulation frequency components therefrom, said receiver means further including comparator means for selectively comparing the phase of said synthesized signals with the phase of the transmitted signals, said receiver means generating an output from the compared phase differentials representative of the locus of the receiver positions with respect to said plurality of antenna means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
122 words
A radio communication system comprising a plurality of antenna means, one of said antenna means transmitting a reference signal comprising a modulated carrier, each of the other antenna means transmitting a signal having respectively different modulation frequency components, a receiver means for said transmitted signals disposed at a remote location, said receiver means including means for detecting said reference signal and for synthesizing each of said respectively different modulation frequency components therefrom, said receiver means further including comparator means for selectively comparing the phase of said synthesized signals with the phase of the transmitted signals, said receiver means generating an output from the compared phase differentials representative of the locus of the receiver positions with respect to said plurality of antenna means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A radio communication system as defined in claim 7, wherein each of said other antenna means transmits a suppressed carrier single sideband signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
110 words
A radio communication system comprising: a transmitter means including first transmitting antenna means for generating and transmitting a first signal having a first modulation frequency component, and additional transmitting antenna means for generating and transmitting other signals having respectively different modulation frequency components each being a multiple of said first modulation frequency component; and receiver means for receiving all said transmitted signals, said receiver means including means for synthesizing from the received first signal additional signals having frequency components that are the same as each of said other transmitted signals, and means for comparing the phase of said synthesized signals with the phase of said other transmitted signals as received.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
110 words
A radio communication system comprising: a transmitter means including first transmitting antenna means for generating and transmitting a first signal having a first modulation frequency component, and additional transmitting antenna means for generating and transmitting other signals having respectively different modulation frequency components each being a multiple of said first modulation frequency component; and receiver means for receiving all said transmitted signals, said receiver means including means for synthesizing from the received first signal additional signals having frequency components that are the same as each of said other transmitted signals, and means for comparing the phase of said synthesized signals with the phase of said other transmitted signals as received.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A radio communication system as defined in claim 9, wherein said first signal comprises an amplitude modulated carrier and wherein said other signals comprise single sideband amplitude modulated suppressed carriers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
A radio communication system as defined in claim 9, wherein each said additional transmitting antenna is disposed at a different distance from said first transmitting antenna, said distances bearing the same respective relationship with one another as the relationship between the different multiples of the transmitted modulation frequency components.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
120 words
A radio communication system comprising: a transmitting array means including a first antenna means for transmitting a first signal synthesized from at least one reference signal and a carrier, and a second antenna means for transmitting a second signal synthesized from an information signal and said carrier; and receiver means for receiving the composite transmitted signals and detecting said reference signal and said information signal, means for synthesizing from said reference signal an additional signal having the same frequency as said information signal, and means for comparing the phase of said information signal and said additional signal of like frequency, whereby the bearing of the line of position of the receiver with respect to the transmitting array may be determined.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
120 words
A radio communication system comprising: a transmitting array means including a first antenna means for transmitting a first signal synthesized from at least one reference signal and a carrier, and a second antenna means for transmitting a second signal synthesized from an information signal and said carrier; and receiver means for receiving the composite transmitted signals and detecting said reference signal and said information signal, means for synthesizing from said reference signal an additional signal having the same frequency as said information signal, and means for comparing the phase of said information signal and said additional signal of like frequency, whereby the bearing of the line of position of the receiver with respect to the transmitting array may be determined.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3117319A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-23 | 1975-11-22 | 1976-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-23 | 1979-11-22 | 1980-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-23 | 1983-11-22 | 1984-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |